Consumers Union has taken a stand against the overuse of antibiotics in livestock production for decades – about 40 years, in fact. In that time however, we’ve seen little action by regulatory agencies or lawmakers to curb this practice that is increasingly contributing to the problem of antibiotic resistance. In light of that, Consumers Union decided to [...]
In its Annual Letter to Stockholders this year, Viacom, a leading global entertainment company that owns over 160 networks including Nickelodeon, boasts about its methods for delivering profits. The letter states, “As always, we aggressively pursue every sensible opportunity to monetize our media networks, through advertising, distribution, and consumer products. Although television ratings ebb and [...]
African-American children suffer from obesity at a greater rate than any other group of children in the United States. There are many complex factors that contribute to this epidemic. But one factor, junk foods sold in schools, is being tackled by moms and dads nationwide. The USDA recently proposed nutritional guidelines on food sold in vending [...]
The phrase “Let them eat cake,” supposedly uttered by Marie Antoinette reflecting her obliviousness to the plight of the people, could be attributed to some members of Congress. Blind to the real hardships faced by millions of Americans and ignoring what the majority of voters in this country want, the U.S House of Representatives is set [...]
The current proposed Ryan budget is another verse in a fiscal opera that brutally attacks social safety net programs, earned benefits and needed investments in a range of programs from education, health care, road, bridges, energy and science research and much more. The one category of spending that is untouched by fiscal austerity is Pentagon [...]
These days there is a lot of talk about why we should have healthier food in schools –from childhood obesity prevention to positive nutrition messaging to the connection between healthy diet and academic performance. These are all great reasons, but for me it really boils down to that offering healthy food choices is the right [...]
Research shows that 40 percent of students buy and eat snack foods at school in a typical day. I can see this daily in my classroom. Many parents are too busy to pack snacks, especially healthy ones. Some of my students are on their own to pack lunches and snacks, and the result can be [...]
Dr. Robert Lustig’s groundbreaking study linking sugar and diabetes should motivate all parents to up their game of junk food whack-a-mole. The researchers found that in countries where the incidence of diabetes went up, the availability of sugar had increased earlier and in roughly the same proportion. By establishing a dose-response relationship, the study allows [...]
UPDATED – April 10, 2013 As a chef, food justice activist, and author, I’m thrilled to introduce this MomsRising Blog Carnival – Junk Free Schools! Many children consume up to half of their daily calories at school, and 40% of students purchase snack food at school. Today, schools across the country are serving healthier breakfasts [...]
This story from Seaman High School in Topeka, Kansas shows that despite the best intentions of schools and the hard work of teachers, trying to create an environment with healthier vending choices can be extremely difficult and time consuming. National standards on competitive foods sold in schools would complement recent updates to the school meal [...]
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